[WEC] 2015 WEC Discussion

[Rcz]

We know Audi wants to run in the USA. And the Daytona 24 is a race they haven't scratch off yet, well at least overall. Is that track even FIA ready though? Probably make grade 2 Maybe that "Daytona rising" will cause them to return.

Either that track or Sebring would be good. I just hope NASCAR doesn't give in and change those tracks characters just to suit the FIA "if" it ever happens.

[Mr Pink]

I agree that the gap after Le Mans is ridiculous, all momentum is lost.

Also I think I've said this before but I think the WEC needs to make the other races special in their own right, right now it's just Le Mans and then a grey mass. This could be accomplished in a lot of different ways and endurance racing offers a lot of opportunities as opposed to something like Formula 1 where you're locked in to a set format.

You can reconnect with tradition by calling the races their classic names (Pokka, Mil Milhas etc.), vary the race lenght (note that the race lenght it self isn't the important part here but to make the races stand out from each other), go to circuits that don't really have a flagship event and where the WEC can claim that status. These are just examples of what you could do but in short, reconnect to the classics or create new ones! Every single race should feel special!

[werner]

You could organize the 'Mille Miglia' at Imola, Mugello or Vallelunga, witch are all more or less located in the area where the original streetrace used to go. And at Enna Pergusa you could organise the Targa Florio (although i guess only Imola and Mugello are suitable)
In Mexico you could race the Carrera Panamericana.

BTW, what is the Pokka?

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by werner

BTW, what is the Pokka?

Suzuka 1000km aka Super GT's International Pokka 1000km

[MagVanisher]

Speaking of Suzuka, WEC should go there as an 8-hour race.

[Spyderman]

For me it would be as follows:

5 races in Europe (Le Mans, Monza, Nurgurgring, Paul Ricard, Spa)
2 races in Asia (Japan and China)
1 race Australia (Albert Park)
2 races in North America (COTA and Montreal)
1 race in South America (Track to be decided: I'm not a fan of Autodromo JCP as I think it is too short for Enduro events)
1 Race Africa (New track in the CAPE - If it is ever built)


12 races. A proper World Championship.

[TF110]

I think 12 races are the ideal. I know the UK will need a race, so an alteration to your schedule would be to exclude Paul Ricard and have that as a public test like early this year. I think Malaysia or Australia would be a great addition. But not Albert Park. If they dont do JCP in South America, my first choice would be San Luis, Potrero de los Funes-

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by MagVanisher

Speaking of Suzuka, WEC should go there as an 8-hour race.

WEC already has an 8 hour race at Suzuka. The FIM Word Endurance that is

[hondafan37]

Originally Posted by TF110

I think 12 races are the ideal. I know the UK will need a race, so an alteration to your schedule would be to exclude Paul Ricard and have that as a public test like early this year. I think Malaysia or Australia would be a great addition. But not Albert Park. If they dont do JCP in South America, my first choice would be San Luis, Potrero de los Funes-

yes, Potrero de los Funes is a fantastic circuit.

[Coach Ep]

12 races is way too expensive, the current 8 race schedule is stretching the limits of many entrants already.

The only way I can see more races being scheduled is either by doing better overall scheduling of the different races, i.e. 'back-to-back races (could be 2 weekends apart instead of 1 which might be too stressful) in the same region (Europe, NA, Far East, etc.) or...

let races run in conjunction with regional races (a la ILMC) - but that would change the entire concept of the championship - and won't happen therefor.

So, it is what it is and will probably stay like this for quite a while, the only added excitement will be coming from possible new manufacturers joining the P1 or GTE battle and switching current venues for new ones.

Good luck with cheering on 25 or so cars on mainly uninspiring long race tracks/parking lots!

[Christian Mogami]

2015/16 season start at Montreal in the Fall,USA and South America in Winter then go to Asia and end in Europe(final Le Mans) is what is being talked about at WEC.

To keep cost down next year the two NA rounds and maybe a SA round/rounds would count to both racing years.(the final of 2015 and the start of 2016 season).

[Salamus]

This whole Winters series isn't making sense to me.

Currently, the championship starts in April and goes to November...8 months.

If the Winter series ends at Le Mans in June, then an 8 month schedule begins in November. There is no way the WEC can race at Montreal in November, that city will be covered in snow and it will be freezing cold. It's going to be snowing in Montreal until at least March or April, so where can you possibly stick the track if the summer months are taken off? It makes no sense. If you bring Montreal up to October or September, then you are stretching the schedule to 9 or 10 months. That's stretching out a schedule that is already too sparse.

[Salamus]

Let's say Montreal doesn't happen and they stick to an 8 race schedule. If the WEC wants to start in the Americas, go to Asia, and end in Europe, they are going to have to reschedule every non-Euro race. Is that really worth it? If they keep the race schedule as is, the season will be 10 months, as I've already stated, and we're going to be stuck with an even longer "mid-season off-season".

[Christian Mogami]

They want to start in Sept and end in June.

Gerard Neveu is floating

Start/end 2016/15 season in Asia(Fall) Fuji and Shanghai(Sept and Oct)
I think this will become Aug and Sept.

Then Montreal in late Fall or early Winter(November?)
I think this will become October.

Bahrain in (Dec, Jan)

USA(Cota) in Winter(Jan,Feb)

San Paulo in (Feb/March)

Silverstone in (April)

Spa in (May)

Le Mans in (June)

[Salamus]

That schedule makes no sense. Going from Asia, to NA, then the Middle East, and then back to NA...how is that going to save costs? That sounds like an even bigger waste of time and travel budget.

A 10 month schedule for 9 races? The WEC should be trying to compress the schedule, not stretch it.

And all of this is to make Le Mans the grand finale? Sorry Christian Mogami, this doesn't sound reasonable.

[TF110]

The way I see it making sense is doing the Asian races in this time of year or a bit later. Head to Bahrain at the end of the year then South America in Jan/Feb. Up to North America beginning in March the onto Europe in April through to Le Mans.

[Salamus]

That idea makes more sense but even in March, Montreal's average temp is barely 0C.

I remember when Autosport came out with the idea of WEC going to Montreal. Montreal wanted a second race in the summer, a couple months after the F1 GP. That can't happen if this Winter series happens, so I don't see the benefit for Montreal.

[Christian Mogami]

The 15/16 season will be in flux with the 16/17 season better.

They might hold off on Montreal until 16/17 with the new race at RA or Indy.

16/17 Season

Start in US,Asia,SA,EU. Sept -June

New races at Montreal and Road America,might lose COTA.

New race in Mexico City?(WEC boss brought up a race in Central America....only place I can think of is Mexico but that is NA but close)

[Christian Mogami]

US and Canada races in Sept then to Asia,SA,EU.

RA,MO,Fuji,Shanghai,Bahrain,Sao Paulo,Mexico City,Silverstone,Spa,LM
S S O N J F M A M J

[TF110]

Maybe they start the season in America or Canada late August or early September, do NA rds. 1 & 2. Head to Japan and China in October. Bahrain mid November then South America in January. Then Europe? Itd still leave a gap until its warm enough in Europe.

[Coach Ep]

Converting to this questionable winter scheduling the favorable winter climate in Texas should give COTA a better chance than any of the other potential NA tracks.

Although I don't think there's a lot of logical thinking going on in Neveu's office...

[Pandemonium]

Enough of this speculation. Wasting your time instead of searching for news
Here you have some. Now start speculating over this.
http://www.fiawec.com/en/news/dates-...nced_2234.html

[TF110]

Originally Posted by Pandemonium

Enough of this speculation. Wasting your time instead of searching for news
Here you have some. Now start speculating over this.
http://www.fiawec.com/en/news/dates-...nced_2234.html

So thinking of scheduling is a waste of time? Speculation is a part of the fun in this discussion.

[Pandemonium]

Nah is all good but it gets a bit overwhelming. So back on topic... Why this early date for the test? I hope people on twitter speculating about a transition season between the actual and the winter calendar are wrong.

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by TF110

So thinking of scheduling is a waste of time? Speculation is a part of the fun in this discussion.

Speculation is fun but when people talk about calendar changes constantly (for seemingly the last three years) it gets a bit tiring.

That said there's not really a lot of WEC news/info at the moment.